Three Nebraskans from Grand Island died when the plane carrying them crashed in rural Paulding County, Ohio, Thursday.

The crash happened Nov. 6 about 30 miles east of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and 70 miles southwest of Toledo.

Advertisement

The Paulding County Sheriff's Office said Dr. Michael McCarty died in the crash. The 59-year-old was flying the plane, which was registered to Orthopedics Aviation Services.

Two passengers in the plane were also from Grand Island. Wayne Weiss, 65, and his wife, Rosalee Weiss, 62, died in the crash.

Family members say McCarty was traveling to New Jersey to visit a daughter and the Weisses were simply vacationing. Sheriff Jason Landers said McCarty and Wayne Weiss were "longtime friends and experienced pilots."

On Sunday, investigators with the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were still at the crash site. After cleaning up the wreckage they will then begin the process of figuring out what caused the plane to go down.